GO ASK ALICE: Black Friday shopping? It never dawned on me

Alice Coyle acoyle@wickedlocal.com @accoyleWL

Monday

Nov 20, 2017 at 12:00 PM

(This column has become a Thanksgiving tradition and various versions have been published in previous editions.)

Black Friday.

There's nothing about those two words that make me the slightest bit inclined to rush out to the mall in the middle of the night or even worse, in the middle of Thanksgiving feasting to start my holiday shopping.

Shocking but true, several major national retailers across the country are planning to open their doors to shoppers by 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Thankfully that’s not the case in Massachusetts where Blue Laws will keep department and box stores closed until after midnight.

Still, I am mystified by the thousands of holiday shoppers who will set their alarm clocks and get to bed early after stuffing themselves with stuffing in order to be one of the first in line for all those "doorbuster" savings in the wee hours of Friday morning.

Those who will scarf-down their multi-course Thanksgiving meal, forsaking family, friends and football for a trip to the mall are certifiable. The fact that greedy retailers driven to draw even bigger profits are even making it possible, is reprehensible and ridiculous.

And really, what's the rush?

Even if you're one of those folks who have to kick off the holiday shopping season before the tryptophan has worn off, why is there a need to be at Sears before the sun rises?

Most of these “Black Friday” deals are no better than the deals advertised in newspaper fliers and filling your email inbox for the past several weeks. Some comparison cyber shopping should net you similar savings in the next several weeks, and you can do that from the comfort of home avoiding long lines and crazy crowds.

I know some department stores offer special Black Friday coupons as an extra incentive to get shoppers stirred up into a spending frenzy. But there's no way saving 30 percent on a cashmere sweater will get me out of bed before the rooster crows Friday, or ever pull me away from pumpkin pie and family on turkey day. Long lines at registers and hoards of hardcore shoppers wipe out any savings incentive retailers are offering.

I'll gladly eat up, sleep in and pay more in store, or better yet online in my PJs.

Of course it's true that when I roll into the mall sometime after 11 a.m. Nov. 24, I'll have to park two towns away and hoof it about three miles to the stores, but I'll be well rested and burn off that extra slice of pumpkin pie.

See you at the mall, say noon-ish?

Alice Coyle is Gatehouse Media New England’s Engagement/Social Media Specialist. She can be reached at acoyle@wickedlocal.com or follow her on Twitter @accoyleWL.